Katherine Tamminen, an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) at the University of Toronto, recently penned an article for The Conversation about the mental health challenges of elite young athletes. Tamminen, who is associate dean of graduate studies at KPE, co-authored the article with Courtney C. Walton from the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne and Jordan Sutcliffe from the Military Psychology and Leadership department at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Elite sport poses several unique pressures that can impact athletes’ mental health.
Demanding travel schedules and intense competition pressures can lead to negative emotional experiences. Athletes can become injured, or they may be uncertain about their future career in sport.
Unfortunately, some athletes may also face physical, psychological or sexual abuse in their sport.
Pressures of elite sport
Research has shown that elite athletes can experience mental health issues at rates equal to or higher than the general population. A recent study found that 41 per cent of Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes surveyed met the criteria for one or more mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety or eating disorders.
Another study involving Australian elite athletes revealed that they were nearly twice as likely to experience significant psychological distress compared to the broader community.
Even though elite athletes often have many resources to support them, they may feel it is hard to reach out and ask for help. When left untreated, mental health challenges and performance pressures can lead to athletes feeling burned out or wanting to drop out of their sport, and they may even experience feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts.
Young people engaged in elite sport might be at even greater risk.